I found the two part story on Stimulus Money being spent in Duluth interesting insofar as it pertained to the Duluth School District.
First remember that Dr. Dixon told the News Tribune a short time ago that the District would have happy school board members who would get to spend $32 million savings from the Red Plan. (At least the Trib editorialized about the expected delight Dr. Dixon’s little dividend would provide the Board)
Recently the Trib reported that the cost of the Red Plan would be almost the same cost as the original $437 million projection. That $32 mil disappeared in a big hurry. Then in the first half of the Trib’s two parter we learn that the District has recieved (or will receive) a little over $9 million. (This number isn’t in the body of the story but I believe it was published on Sunday. In any case you can read where all the District’s stimulus spending was here) I figured incorrectly that this was all applied to the District’s Red Plan construction. Had this been the case it would have explained where $9 million of the hyped but non existant $32 million in savings came from.
It amazes me that the Red Plan didn’t come in below the original estimates. Remember all the claims of the great savings the District was getting because the poor contractors were bidding really low because of the devastating economy? I thought for sure there would be much lower construction costs. Well, it seems that none of the stimulus money went to the Red Plan and there were precious few savings.
Nope, According to today’s continuation of the story (and the list linked above) it all went to the staff accounting for the generous (under the circumstances) salary boost and the mind jarringly inappropriate health insurance giveaway. This is how the district describes its stimulating.
Darned If I can’t find the second half of the story. Maybe I’ll look for it tomorrow.
Bottom Line: The Feds won’t give us money just because we’d like some.
I’m so tired i’m losing track of my thinking……Maybe I’ll edit this tomorrow.
